Kidnapping the Generals: The South's Most-Daring Raid Against the Union Army

In 1865, McNeill's Rangers rode into Union-occupied Cumberland, Md., and kidnapped General Benjamin Kelly and General George Crook from their hotel room. This is the story of the planning and daring execution of this raid that became one of the last victories of the Confederacy in the Civil War. More

In 1865, McNeill's Rangers, a Confederate guerilla force, rode into Union-occupied Cumberland, Md., in the middle of the night and kidnapped General Benjamin Kelly and General George Crook from their hotel room. Their act was quickly discovered and the rangers had to make a daring escape with their prisoners. This is the story of the planning and daring execution of this raid that became one of the last victories of the Confederacy in the Civil War.

James Rada, Jr. is the author of seven novels, a non-fiction book and a non-fiction collection. These include the historical novels Canawlers, October Mourning, Between Rail and River and The Rain Man. His other novels are Logan’s Fire, Beast and My Little Angel. His non-fiction books are Battlefield Angels: The Daughters of Charity Work as Civil War Nurses and Looking Back: True Stories of Mountain Maryland.

He lives in Gettysburg, Pa., where he works as a freelance writer. Jim has received numerous awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Associated Press, Maryland State Teachers Association and Community Newspapers Holdings, Inc. for his newspaper writing.

If you would like to be kept up to date on new books being published by James or ask him questions, he can be reached by e-mail at jimrada@yahoo.com.

To see James’ other books or to order copies on-line, go to jamesrada.com.